I was reluctant to even make a part 4 but I have been trying to make shorter posts and instead post on a more frequent basis. I don´t know if that´s a good thing or not but I think that my readers would appreciate it if there´s more new material on a regular ( or at least more frequent ) base. Maybe I´m totally wrong and you all just come here for my megalong totally unrelated over - the - top crazy comic ramblings. I always try to write this blog as if I would talk to someone ( with the few exceptions when I´m writing about a certain topic - in which case I write more in an essay kind of way ) trying not to get too verbose and shooting off in all kind of different directions where ever my crazy ideas go - mostly Power Girl and her magic cleavage window. Sigh !
Which is also a way of keeping writing this blog interesting for myself since I never know what exactly I´m going to write.
So if you have any preferences either way just write me a comment if you like the shorter posts or the longer ones. And with this quick flash I just turned this one from a short one to a long one. Figures.
Anyway, what I didn´t get to mention in my last post were the independent solicitations for this month meaning IMAGE. I would like to write about some of the other publishers too but I don´t read that much outside of the big four and I also have no solicitations info on the others. There are some preview pages from DYNAMITE but since I cancelled RED SONJA I don´t read any of their books anyway. Also this month there is nothing special about the solicitations from DARK HORSE and I have no idea if I´m reading any other Dark Horse comic besides USAGI YOJIMBO.
Brit 07
The only reason why I even noticed this issue was that it has INVINCIBLE on the cover. It´s one of the books I love to read even if I´m just reading it in the trade format. I know I should buy the floopies to support the sales numbers of the comic but I am afraid to miss out on issues and it reads better in trade because the cliffhangers are even more suspenseful than in 24.
Also I have been reluctant to add this book to my pull list because I fear I might get lost in the Kirkmanverse. He writes such good stuff that you just get trapped. Well, outside of his work for Marvel. I haven´t read his DEADLY FOES OF THE FANTASTIC FOUR miniseries but his Captain America story arc was disappointing and the MARVEL TEAM UP issues that were reprinted in the MARVEL MONSTER by PANINI weren´t very good either.
Like I said I haven´t read any of the BRIT issues so far but I have to check this issue out.
Invincible 51
Yes, I know the cover looks like it´s a first issue which is the main reason why I wanted to mention it. A wonderful cover by Jim Lee which could fool the comics collectors in the shop.
Wow, 51 issues already. It seems like just last year that I finally decided to check out those issues of Invincible this new series everyone was writing about and which I had already passed on two occasions. But I wasn´t the only one to come late to this series.
I want to do a post praising the virtues of this series ( but only the internet gods know when I´m finally going around to it ) since I already wrote an introduction to the series for the german website of Phil & Lamond. For the moment I just want to say this much : for years Marvel tried to write the new Spider - Man. A comic that is as good and brings in as many new readers as Spider - Man did in the sixties. They tried with ARANA which was no big success, they failed with GRAVITY and they had a little success with ULTIMATE SPIDER - MAN which is really only rewriting their old Spider - Man stories for the new millenium. They almost succeeded with SPIDER - GIRL and they have been trying to kill that book ever since.
Marvel tried for years to write the new Spider - Man. Robert Kirkman succeeded with INVINCIBLE.
His book has all the things you love from the old Spidey books and it has one quality that makes it stand apart from most new superhero series or new takes on old comic characters. Robert Kirkman really loves superhero comics. Invincible is not ashamed of being a superhero comic, it´s not apologizing for it and instead embraces everything about it thus showing why superhero comics is the biggest market segment in the american comic book industry. It´s not bitter because superhero are much more successful than other genres, it doesn´t try to belittle super heroes or pi$$es all over them. I don´t want to spoil too much before I do my big Invincible post but if you try this series out I have to say one thing : Hang in there. I know it´s an awful thing to say to someone trying out a new series but wait with a decision till you have read the third trade. Invincible is a really good series right from the first issue but in the third trade it goes SUPERNOVA ! There´s something in that trade that will just blow you away and for which the mainstream publishers just don´t have the cojones for.
Hear me now and believe me later.
Savage Dragon 127
Am I glad that this book is back ! If Invincible is the new Spider - Man than this comic is the best superhero book nobody is reading. I often hear that quality will always find it´s audience and that good books will be successful in the end but the evidence points in the other direction. If the best books really win their audience then it makes no sense that MAJOR BUMMER and POWER COMPANY were canceled prematurely. And then Savage Dragon would be on the top of the sales charts and not on place 223.
I am missing an issue since the series came back ( and wouldn´t you know it it´s a specialsized issue ) but I´m just happy to have the chance to read Savage Dragon again. Especially if it´s guest starring MADMAN.
Wanted Hardcover
Well, with a major motion picture in the works it was just a matter of time. The problem with most comics - turned - movie is that while there is a big audience that saw the movie it does not automatically lead to higher comic sales. Which in the past was partly because publishers like Dark Horse failed to make the trades available for when people like to buy it - like in the case of SIN CITY.
Now I have to say I never was a big fan of the miniseries. I just don´t like this whole " villains as heroes " and " gangster rapper jet set hitman trashtalking hipster " garbage that some comics propagandise. A villain is no hero to me and I don´t think a life of crime is something you should present to people as something to strive for. Anyone who was ever a victim of a crime will tell you that it´s neither funny nor glamorous. Stealing, raping and killing is not something that will better your community. And I also don´t think posers like Eminem, Marilyn Manson or 50 Cent are not rolemodels. I mean what am I supposed to think about artists who don´t stand behind what they advertise in their lyrics and start crying like little babies if they suddenly have to go to jail ? You think being a gangbanger and a player is cool ? Just ask Tupac or Biggie Smalls how that turned out.
No, I didn´t like the story very much and even the ending sucked in my opinion. Talk about taking the easy way out. Anyway, I´m not sure if I´m even going to see the movie. Depends on if they got Halle Berry since one of the characters was clearly modelled after her. Rowwr !
Well the only thing I can predict so far : if the movie has only half the elements I hated about this mini today´s movie audience will love it. This has the potential to be a huge success. And while I´m all for comic movies being successful.......may god help us all.
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